Love Matters Africa

The Love Matters Africa platform has grown from a small team based in Kenya, into a regional African platform that covers Anglophone Africa, as well as the African diaspora. Through its direct, open and inclusive approach to sensitive topics, Love Matters Africa has been able to navigate the delicate landscape of reproductive health beyond disease, into the social factors that influence behaviour in young people such as relationships, cultural norms, marriage, religion, social barriers and stigma.

Throughout 2020 we will be separating Love Matters Africa into country-specific platforms. Any new country under Anglophone Africa will have their own social media platforms in order to reach young people in a language and tone of voice that is unique to their country and social landscape. We believe that the greatest impact is created when young people recognise themselves in our work, and localised content is crucial. There is also room for regional learning and sharing so the umbrella Love Matters Africa website will remain with multi-country content.

Highlights of 2019

Changing attitudes

As part of the REA programme, Love Matters Africa conducted an End-line Survey to assess the overall impact of the SRHR advocacy programme over the 3-year implementation period. One-third of respondents reported that engaging with Love Matters’ content led to having a more positive attitude towards LGBT persons, especially in relation to their right to equality and freedom from discrimination

Safe abortion

Love Matters Africa took part in a consortium of CSOs advocating successfully for the reinstatement of the Standards and Guidelines for Reducing Morbidity and Mortality from Unsafe Abortion in Kenya. The re-instatement means that women can now access abortion and post abortion services at government-sanctioned health facilities, including Marie Stopes clinics, and the government is mandated to train its health care providers providing the abortion services. Love Matters Africa also created content for young people relevant to the ruling.